Mobile services in the developed world let people share pictures of themselves in the park or scroll through a retailer’s mobile site on the morning commute. For people in emerging countries, their influence can be more profound. A story recently covered by The Economist shows how mobile is being used to not only change, but also save lives.

In Pakistan’s second-most populated city, Lahore, the number of confirmed dengue patients fell from 21,292 (with 350 deaths) in 2011 to just 255 (no deaths) in 12 months after authorities drafted in mobile handsets to fight off mosquitoes. Officials equipped over one thousand city workers with cheap smartphones and had them record the anti-dengue treatment work they were carrying out around the city, whilst tagging their location. This created an online map showing where and when dengue was infecting people, whilst helping to predict where it would next flare up so that fogging treatment could be better targeted.

An important element of this is about people trusting in mobiles capabilities; whether it’s leading them to a nearby restaurant or protecting their credit card information. A study in medical journal, Lancet demonstrated that sending text messages to remind Kenyan patients to take their HIV drugs correctly improved adherence to the therapy by 12%. A recent trial by American firm, WellDoc found that a behavioral psychology m-health scheme that gives advice to diabetics had more effect than putting them on the leading diabetes drug.

Over the next few months Forrester will be conducting some research in this space and are continuingly looking for interesting examples, so please forward any along.